Ramat Gan Coach Dego Celebrates Crucial Win, Vows to Fix Defensive Lapses

Hapoel Ramat Gan secured a vital 2-0 victory over Hapoel Haifa at Sammy Ofer Stadium on Saturday, with the losing side reduced to ten men after Sheik Keita was sent off. Following the match, Ramat Gan coach Masa'i Dego expressed satisfaction with his team's performance, particularly their defensive solidity.

"Even before the red card, we came here with a strategy to be strong defensively," Dego stated. "We conceded four goals in the last game and had to stop the flow of goals. I'm happy we had a tremendous defensive game. We didn't create many chances, but we had two or three and scored twice. I'm happy and we need to continue."

Dego acknowledged the pressure on his team, who were relegated and then promoted back to the league. He admitted to recent confusion and an overly open playing style that led to defeats, including a particularly difficult loss to Beitar Jerusalem. "After Beitar, we had tough meetings," he revealed. "I hope this win gives us confidence for a new path. We can't look too far ahead or talk too much about staying in the league. There's a good team here, and it was important to show a different face after last week. I'm very proud of the players."

Goal scorer David Asanka thanked the traveling fans and expressed joy over his goal, emphasizing the importance of the three points. He also addressed transfer speculation, calling it a "dream" and stating his ambition is to go as far as possible, whether in Israel or abroad, but his immediate focus is on his current team.

On the opposing side, Hapoel Haifa coach Haim Silvas described the game as a "maturity test." He lamented his team's inability to be patient and capitalize on opportunities, especially after Ramat Gan went down to ten men. "To be a top team, we need to mature more," Silvas said. "In games that will be difficult for us, we need patience, and today we didn't have it. I am very disappointed. We will fix things in places where you least expect us to."

Silvas added that conceding an early goal, followed by a red card and another goal, put his team off balance. Looking ahead to their next match against Maccabi Tel Aviv, he stated, "Every game has its own story. Just as Hapoel Ramat Gan wasn't expected to win here and they did, we can also win. That's the beauty of sports. We will come to play. We are a good team and will move forward."

Player Dor Malul echoed the sentiment that a single action can change a game's momentum and that the team needed to regroup after the red card. He stressed the importance of learning from the quick goal conceded and not letting such games slip away, especially with crucial points at stake for a potential upper playoff spot.